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I. N. FORBES.

ROTARY ENGINE. No. 274,476.

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Patented Mar. 27, 1883.

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I. N. FORBES. ROTARY ENGINE.

Patented Ma.1.27,1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ISAAC NEWTON FORBES, OF LAWRENCE COUNTY, DAKOTA TERRITORY.'

ROTARY ENG lNE.

SPE(lIFICA'IITIC'NV forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,476, datedMarch 27, 1883.

Application filed July 26, 1882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC NEWTON FORBES, ofLawrence county, in the Territory of Da lieta, temporarily residing atWashington, in the District of Columbia,have invented a new and ImprovedTrochilic or Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specication.

The cylinder and casing of my engine are provided with ample inductionand eductiou steainpassages through it without interruption, exceptingwhen closed bythe teeth ofthe piston-wheel in their revolutions. It hasone main cylinder for the pistou-wheel, two abutment-roller casings, andfour valve seats or cylinders. rlhe piston-wheel has four or morepiston-teeth upon its surface, standin g an equal distance apart, whichrevolve in the main cylinder in the track ofthesteam-passage throughfrom the inlet to the exhaust-ports, respectively, and pass by theabutment-rollers in their recesses, which work in connection therewith,the abutment-rollers being geared at each end to the main shaft, and aredriven by it so asv to rotate in unison therewith without slip betweentheir peripheries and the periphery ot' They may he of the same diameteras the piston-wheel, it' preferred, or one-half oi that diameter, asshown. The valves are fourfold, and automatcorY self-adjusting inbecoming steam-tight, and in allowing for contraction and expansion ofthe enginewithout binding or leaking, and they are reversible, beingconnected with the reversing-gear, which, when moved for the purpose,reverses the. valves and-the current ot' steam or other motor fluidtothe opposite pair of valves for the induction or eduction of steam, asthe case may be, and so reversing the mo- The heads are cast hollow forthe reception of oil or other luhricant,ai1d contain all the bearingsfor the engine proper. The outer covers are secured to the heads,

tormin g cnsings or housings for the main gear-- of connected waterpipesfor the purpose ot' enabling the condensation ot' exhaust-steam, thusassisting the head-pressure to the extent ot' condensation. The heatfrom theexhaust` (No model.)

steam may be thus utilized, and the base, including the pipes, maybecome aheater, if required.

To enable a better understanding ot' this engine, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying d rawin gs, in which-Figure l.l is a vertical longitudinal central section of an enginecomplete, mounted upon its base, with governor attached. Fig. 2 is inpart a central transverse view and in part a full view of the cylinderand casing, with pistonwheel, abutment-rollers, an d valves in position.Fig. 3 is a view ot' the end ot' the valve-stem broken,showing themethod oi' securingit to the reversing-gear, and the gear included i nsection. Fig. et is an end'view of Fig. 3 with the nut removed. Fig. 5is a detached longitudinal viewot' the piston-wheel, abutment-rollers,and helical gear in their positions as when in their respectivecylinders. Fig. 5 is a section of an abutment-roller through therecesses 9, showingeud plates, Qn, and their packing-rings 26a. Fig. Gisaface view oi the helical gear. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectionofthe main shaft, bearing in the end head, and a portion oi' the headwith all appurtenances enlarged. Fig. 8 is a bot-toniview vot' apacking-ring, showing the springs in position and one ofthe stops. Fig.9 is a broken sectional portion of the packing-ring, showing the springin position.` Fig. 10 is a view. partly in section, of a piece ofthering, showing the stop for holding the ring from turning. Fig. 1l is aperspective view of part of the ring S, showing the packingcreases onthe outer surface. Fig. 12 is au out-side view ot the adjustingscrew-holt in a portion ot' the head. Fig. 13 is a toothed or ratchetring, in which the toothed part ot' the adjusting screw-bolt 7 tits toprevent the latter from unscrewing. Fig. le is an outside view of thehead ofthe cylinder with the reversing valve-gear attached. Fig. l5 isan outer View of the cover or casing for the cylinderhead or thevenginenext to the pulley.

Keyed on a shaft., l, is a piston-wheel, 2, constructed with four teeth,3, at dia-nietricallyopposite parts and at right angles to each other,and extending nearly the length of the cylinder, on the inner surface ofwhich cylininder the said teeth are made to work steamtight bypacking-strips 5, pressed outward by springs 5t.

Two abutment-rollers, 6, are arranged opposite each other and atopposite sides of the piston-wheel?, and connected by helical gearing168 169, so as to rotate in unison therewith without any slip betweentheirperiphcries, forming steam-tight joints.' The abutment-rollers 6are, as in the present illustration, of onehalfthe diameter rrof thepistonwheel, and are each provided with two recesses, 9, to permit thepassage of the four teeth 3 of the piston -wheel 2. The peripheries ofthe abutment-rollers and of the piston-wheel are grooved with water-cutsupon their entire surfaces longitudinally, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5,assisting in preventing the passage of steam between theirjoints.

Four oscillating valves, 10 10 102L 10a, each of which is fourfold andsimilar in construction, are arranged in opposite pairs, one pair ofvalves, (10 10, for example,) which are opposite each other, being atonetime steam-induction valves, while the other pair (10 10a, for example)are for exhaust, the `said valves being employed to place either pair ofsteamports (11,for example) in connection with the live-steam passages12 and the other pair'of ports (11, for example) in connection with theexhaust-passages 20. The valves remain at rest during the continuousoperation of the engine, being only used for stopping, starting, orreversing the motion. For this purpose a partial rotation is imparted tothem all sim ultaneously by a reversing-lever, 19, through the medium ofa rock-shaft, 18, carrying a' segment-pinion, 17, gearing with a coggedsegnient, 16, on the ring l5, from which project toothed segment-gear,onefor each valve, gearing with pinions 13 on the stems of the valves 101U and 10ib 10, as more fully set forth in another application filedbyme of even date herewith, designated Case C. The lever 19 differs fromlthat in the application referred to in the construction of each end,which is coniposed of two main parts, that which is secured to therock-shaft 18 and the movable handle in connection therewith, in thepresent case 19a,

being fixed to the rigid'portion of the rock- -shaft 18,aud bored outfor the endof the lever 19 to play in. In the end of the bore, beneaththe shank of thelever, is a coil-spring, which throws the catch -pinriveted to the shank of the handle 19 in and out of gear with notches inthe rack or bail19b by the downward pressure ofthe hand on the end ofthe handle. rIhe outer end of the handle lis bored out for the of thehandle a tapered hole is bored transversely through the handle, and thecord, passing therein, is, held by the recessedplug driven in alongsideof it. v

Vpered stems of the valves 10 10 10a 10a by pins 301, Figs. 3 and 4, anda cap-nut, 302, locked by a flexible disk or washer, 303,. Before thenut is applied the washer 303 is punched down Ainto holes 301, formed inthe hub of the pinion, and after the nut is screwedhome one or moreportions of said washer are turned up against the recess in said nut, asshown in Fig. 3. i v Y rJlhe supply-pipe 12 and steam-passages 12a arepreferably located, as shown, in the center of the cylinder-casing `at,between the heads thereof, and likewise the exhaust-passages 20 andoutlet 20?; but the supply-pipe 12 may be nearer one end than the other,if desired. Recesses'llb extend to the rear of thesteam-ports 11 and11a, wit-hin the cylinder, to permit the inlet-steam to pass the ends ofthe teeth 3, and so behind themas soon as they cover the inletports. Themain shaft-bearings within the heads are formed in segments 48, withBabbitt metal on their faces; or they may be composed entirely ofany'other suitable metal,which may be rebabbitted or replaced by newones when desired. They have inclined projections on their backsextending through mortises in a case or bearing,.49,inw hich1theassembled bearing-segments are held in their positionsfor being set upto the shaft as they wear. The bearing-case or housing 49 is surroundedby a movable ring or cylinder, 50, having inclined surfacescorresponding with the inclined projections on the backs of the bearing-segments. The ring or cylinder 50 is drawn endwise to force in thebearing-segments by screw-bolts 7 7, screwing into the ilangeS of thering. The bolts are turned by means of a key or wrench inserted throughthe apertures 201 (shown in spending' apertures, 20c, being provided inthe external cover of the cylinder-head. To hold lar flange, 21, toothedor serrated on its inner face, and a toothed or serrated disk,22, whichis prevented froiniturning with the bolt 7 by f1 xed feathered keys orpins 32, passing th rough holes 31,(see Fig. 13,) and, permitting alongitudinal but not a rotary movement, is pressed outward by a spiralspring into engagement with the fixed disk or flange 21 on the screwbolt7. Longitudinal pins 34 pass through which movein the annular recess 33when the bolt is turned, which serve to press the disk ilange 21 whenpressed inward by the key or wrench. The screw-bolts 7 7 are kept inplace by rings 30,.fastened tothe outer surface of the bearing-case byscrews or rivets. The main shell of .the head, in which the bearing-caseor housing and the adjustable ring are fitted, has

an annular chamber,24f, extending completely around the bearing, whichalso communicates The segment-pinions 13 are fixed on the ta-` the bolt7 againstunscrewing, it has an annu.

holes in the toothed flange 21, and have heads.

22 outof engagement with the teeth on thel IOS Figs. 1 and '6) in thegear-wheel 168, correi I IIS IVO

with the remaining chambers through cored channels, (described morefully in another application of even date herewith, designated Case D,)forming one main reservir. R- cesses for oil are also formed between theshell and the housing of the bearing-segments, as shown at 25 in Figs.land 7. For packing the joint between the cylinder-heads and the rims orends ofthe piston-wheel 2, a ring, 26,l

is employed at each rim, as shown in section `at 26 in Fig. 7, and inunder view in Fig. 8.,

and in detailed broken parts in Figs. 9,10, and' 11. The said ring ispressed out by semi-elliptical springs 27,.and is formed with a numberof waterfliiacking creases, 28, on its face, as shown in Fig. 1l. Tosecure the said packingring against turning in the head, lugs 29 areemployed, fitting in corresponding recesses,

'one ot' which is shown at 29"", Fig. 8, and fast-- eneil to the head byscrews or rivets.

The recessed abutment'rollers are provided with end plates, 9, coveringthe ends of the abutment-roller recesses, for forming tight joints andpreventing leakage of steam between the ends of the abutment-rollers andthe plates and between the ends ot' the teeth and the plates, and inconnection with packing-rings similar in construction to thosehereinbei'ore described, andv shown in enlarged views 7 to 1l,inclusive, but made ot' a-breadth and size to tit the end plates, 9, ofthe abutment-rollers.

The hollow base upon which the engine stands, and to which it is bolted,contains a series ot' connected pipes, through which cold water isforced and around which the exhaast-steam ilows in its passage to theexhaust pipe 20d. l

The engine is provided with a governor of any approved construction, acom mou form of which is illustrated in Fig. 1. The outer bearing ofthis horizontaldriving-shaft 37is mount' ed in a novel mannerin abracket or standard onthe end ot' the cylinder-head cover, snpported bya brace, 35, extending to the top ot the cylinder. The said standard andbrace may be made in one or more pieces, as may be preferred. The shaftis driven by a pulley, 38, rotated by a belt from the main shaft 1.Cylinder-cocks l2" are inserted in the lower portion ot' thecylinder-heads, both connected with the annularchamber in which thepistonteeth revolve, for the purpose of carrying ott' the water otcondensation, all of which is more fully described in anotherapplication for patent tiled by me, of even date herewith, designatedGase A.)

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,` and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A single reversible trochilic or rotary engine having one maincylinder or engine-casing containing one piston-wheel cylinder, twoabutment-roller casings, and four valve-seats, with suitable inductionand @duction steam passages, ports, and channels, and a. pistonwheel,two abutment-rollers, and four valves, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination ot' cylinder-heads provided withpacking-rings, and abutment-rollers provided with removable plate 9a onits ends, to form packing-joints between the said packing-rings androllers and surface-bearings for the ends of the pistonteeth,substantially as set forth.

3. A trochilic or rotary engine consisting of a main engine casing, apiston wheel, two abutment-rollers, recessed as described, with fourreversing-valves, and gear at one or both ends of the engine, two heads,two covers for the heads, and a main shaft, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

4. In a rotary engine, adiustable bolts, with serrated dan ge 21 andserrated ring 22, stops 32, ring 30 for holding the bolts in position,spring to hold the serrated ringin contact, and headed pins Bet, incombination with ring and hearing-pieces 48, as and for the purpose setforth.

cepton of springs 27, with stops 29, substanstealn-tigh t, as described.

7. Thecombiuation cfa tooth ed piston-w heel, two abutment-rollers onopposite sides of said wheel, recessed for the passage of the teeththereof, and helical gears at each end, connect- IOO ing the shaft ofthe` piston-wheel and the abutn1entrollers, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

I. N. FORBES. In presence of- ERNEST ABSHAGEN, FRED. L. FOSTER.

